How to get my sealed adoption records and where they are?

What is the name of your state? CALIFORNIA

I have found out some time ago that I had been adopted by my step father years ago. I was not aware that he was my step father... Is it possible to locate where my adoption records are and how I could go about gettingthem. My reson for this is that I have recently found out that the man my mother told me was my father is in fact not my father. According to a search Co that I contacted the initials on my sealed record are differnt, when asking my Aunt ofthis she said yes your father had a different name. No one knows his last name unfortunately. Can someone help.... my step father was quite abusive and they will not discuss any of this this with me. I truly would like to find my bio father. Trying to understand the dishonesty...

Adoption records are sealed in California and can only be opened by court order, as long as the petitioner can show "good and compelling cause" to have the records opened. It is extremely rare for records to be opened in California. There is, however, a strong movement to change law. Visit http://www.calopen.org to learn more.

ptiz56 said:

According to a search Co that I contacted the initials on my sealed record are differnt, when asking my Aunt ofthis she said yes your father had a different name.

Click to expand...

BY this do you mean that the man your mom maintained was the BIODAD was likely NOT? If so, it is entirely possible that, even if the records were UNSEALED, the person your mom claimed to be dad was actually someone NOT named on the BC. Unless confirmed by DNA, obtaining the name on the BC COULD be a wild goose chase.

Re: Bio father is named on my original birth cert.

California
Having contacted a search consultant, they told me the initials were KL and the name of the man my parents told me was MM. This MM is dead. When I asked my Aunt about this she said my bio fathers name is Ken (???) and his last name she cannot remember. This is how I found out the truth is not being told. My Aunt remembers Ken coming to see my mother and he wore a pilots uniform but she cannot remember his last name. If he paid child support I wonder if I can find this out or is that also sealed? I was born in Fowler California next to Fresno. I think this is where I should try next to see if he paid any support??? If it were not for the abusive step father I would not have cared so much, but I feel I have a right to know who I am, and why the lies. Who knows maybe my bio father might like to know me and if not at least I have tried. I have spent lots of $ in therapy and she says I should try to find him.. thank you for your reply.... Hope to know more Patti

3) Section 9203 of the Family Code authorizes a person who has
been adopted and who attains the age of 21 years to request the
department or the licensed adoption agency to disclose the name and
address of the adoptee's birth parents. Consequently, it is of the
utmost importance that the birth parent indicate whether to allow
this disclosure by checking the appropriate box provided on the form.

(4) The birth parent may change the decision whether to permit
disclosure of the birth parent's name and address, at any time, by
sending a notarized letter to that effect, by certified mail, return
receipt requested, to the department or to the licensed adoption
agency that joined in the adoption petition.
(5) The relinquishment will be filed in the office of the clerk of
the court in which the adoption takes place. The file is not open
to inspection by any persons other than the parties to the adoption
proceeding, their attorneys, and the department, except upon order of
a judge of the superior court.
(b) The department shall adopt a form to be signed by the birth
parents at the time the relinquishment is signed, which shall provide
as follows:

"Section 9203 of the Family Code authorizes a person who has been
adopted and who attains the age of 21 years to make a request to the
State Department of Social Services, or the licensed adoption agency
that joined in the adoption petition, for the name and address of the
adoptee's birth parents. Indicate by checking one of the boxes
below whether or not you wish your name and address to be disclosed:
/__/ YES /__/ NO /__/ UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME; WILL NOTIFY
AGENCY AT LATER DATE."

Have a question...... this MM that you thought was birth father, are there other siblings that you could possibly do a comparison DNA test with?

Miracle what they can do with DNA.

If MM has another child --- you can compare DNA to see if you share a parent. That would at least let you know if you need to continue your search for this other guy.